1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to servicing devices. In particular, this disclosure relates to servicing devices for charging refrigeration systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Refrigeration systems (e.g., air-conditioning (A/C) systems) typically include a liquid or gaseous refrigerant that is used for cooling. Servicing a refrigeration system (for example, an automobile refrigerant system, a residential refrigerant system, or a commercial refrigeration system) often includes charging the system with a refrigerant (for example, halogenated hydrocarbons, and/or other coolants). In the case of charging an automobile refrigerant system, a pressurized refrigerant source, such as an aerosol can of refrigerant, connects via a hose to a low-pressure port of refrigerant lines carrying refrigerant within the system. While connected, the refrigerant may expel from the refrigerant source and is injected or drawn into the refrigerant lines. Refrigerant may be added until the desired amount of refrigerant is achieved in the system.
After market servicing of air conditioners is conventionally done by owners of vehicles commonly known as the “do-it-yourself” or the DIY market. A common technique for adding a relatively small quantity of refrigerant (for example, a can of refrigerant) to a refrigerant circuit of an air conditioning system, is to interconnect a charging hose assembly between a suction line service fitting on the refrigerant circuit and a small canister filled with pressurized refrigerant, and then flow at least some of the refrigerant from the canister into the circuit during operation of the system.
In most conventionally manufactured version thereof, the valve used to regulated the flow of refrigerant is either capable of opening a self-sealing valve of a refrigerant can and/or is a piercing dispensing shut-off valve connected to one of a hose and a disconnect coupler fitting connect to the opposite end of the hose. To use the charging hose assembly, the shut-off valve is screwed onto a cylindrical outlet portion of the canister, and the coupler fitting is releasably locked onto the service fitting. When this is done, a fixed pin member within the coupler fitting depresses a corresponding opening pin within the service fitting to communicate the interior of the refrigerant circuit with the interior of the charging hose.
Next, the vehicle's engine is started, and the air conditioning system is operated in its maximum cooling mode. A handle on the installed shut-off valve of the charging device is then rotated in a first direction to cause an associated valve stem portion of the valve to pierce the outlet portion of the canister, and then the handle is rotated in the opposite direction to open the valve to allow fluid communication between the canister and the automobile refrigerant system.
To terminate the refrigerant charging process, the handle of the shut-off valve is rotated in the first direction to close the shut-off valve and thereby block the flow through the hose of any pressurized refrigerant remaining in the canister. The disconnect coupler fitting is then removed from the refrigerant circuit service fitting. If the canister has been completely emptied of refrigerant in this process, the shut-off valve is then removed from the canister and empty canister is discarded.
Many apparatus have been designed to allow the consumer to add refrigerant as needed to refrigerant systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,204 to Ferris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,554 to Trachtenberg; U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,986 to Ferris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,970 to Ferris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,221 to Ferris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,988 to Cowen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,385 to Ferris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,035 to Cowen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,466 to Cowen et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,141 to Ferris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,340 to Ferris et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,107,781 to Quest et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,598 to Quest et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,260,943 to Carrubba et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,275,383 to Motush et al.; and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2008-0022701 to Carrubba et al.; 2009-0113901 to Carrubba et al.; 2011-0041522 to Carrubba; 2012-0192579 to Carrubba, and 2013-0118187 to Carrubba, all of which are incorporated herein by reference as fully set forth herein, describe various apparatus that may allow a consumer to add refrigerant as needed and/or to measure the refrigerant pressure in an automobile air conditioner during the addition of the refrigerant. These devices, however, may be cumbersome for the consumer to use, as they may require the use of two hands to manage the dispensing of refrigerant from the canister. Thus, less cumbersome and more ergonomic refrigerant systems are desired.
The present disclosure provides many advantages, which shall become apparent as described below.